Saturday, June 18, 2011

my dad has had several professions. he's a pretty diverse guy. but for most of my growing up years, he ran a tomato canning plant for BIG R with my grandfather. we lived and breathed tomatoes. we even traveled north to a summer house every year to continue canning. needless to say, we know a bit about tomatoes and can be a little picky about them. but from such experience, we all really appreciate fresh produce and those who grow it.

i finally went to the barton creek farmer's market today and picked up some gorgeous fairytale baby eggplants from fruitful hill farms and really beautiful yellow heirloom tomatoes from johnson's backyard garden. i love acidic tomatoes most and these hit the spot. lightly sauteed with a little bit of pasta, olive oil and fresh cracked pepper and you're in business. bellisima!!

now go make something tasty for your dad and tell me about it!! back to packing for winona lake! i leave at 4 a.m. for a music festival that takes place there. for the next month, you'll be seeing recipes from this past week in austin and that which i will attempt to create with few utensils. that's right, i packed a knife, cutting board, mixing bowl and pan in my bag... it's ok if you charge me for an extra bag, delta. i don't even care this time!!

here's a recipe, if you need it. happy father's day!! love you, dad!!

pasta fresca

serves 4

4 cups chopped eggplant, fairytale or not!

5 cups tomatoes of your choice, chopped

1 package pasta of your choice

- sautee eggplant over medium heat with olive oil for 10 minutes or until tender. add tomatoes for an additional minute until just warm. season to taste and enjoy!

Monday, June 13, 2011

hi from austin! i'm currently a little bit homeless for the week and paying for my stay with home cooked meals at the houses of my friends in the area. hopefully they think it's a good trade! might need to check in on that...

had to say goodbye to G today for a few weeks. never easy. but we did have a lovely time this week and were able to eat at a few austin favorites and finally try flip happy crepes! i really like their lemon curd. it's a little hot but definitely time to get out to all of those trailer park eateries austin has to offer.

last night, i experimented on my hostess anne marie and our friend liz, with a great martha recipe from this month's living magazine (peas, baby red potatoes and mint - delicious, try it!) and some citrus glazed wild salmon. tasty. but the best part was dessert : rice pudding with fresh berries and peaches, anne marie's favorite! i think we'd all call it a success. i used honey instead of sugar. aren't you proud of me??

you should also be proud of me for running at 6:30 a.m. so many possibilities open up when you're not in school. like waking up and being a normal human. hopefully i can keep this up.

honey rice pudding

serves 6 to 8

4 cups milk

1/3 cup honey

pinch of salt

2 ribbons of lemon zest

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup arborio rice

3 egg yolks

1 tbs lemon juice

- combine first five ingredients and incorporate over medium heat until warmed (about five minutes) in a medium or large pot.

- stir in rice and slowly simmer for approximately twenty minutes or until rice is tender.

- whisk together egg and lemon juice in a small bowl to incorporate and then temper by pouring in one cup of rice mixture into the egg and stirring vigorously. then pour the egg mixture into the rice and stir for another minute.

- pour into serving dishes and allow to sit until warmed. serve with fresh fruit of your choice. refrigerate after thirty minutes.

About Me

Coming to you from her cozy NYC kitchen, Anna Luce is a happily married classical and baroque violinist, and mother to Zoe the Yorkie! Join her as she figures out what a healthy lifestyle is while balancing ulcerative colitis with her desire for traditional cooking and baking. Follow her on twitter @keepitluce or send her an email at arpluce@gmail.com!
*The views and advice contained within this blog are from personal experience and not to be considered certified medical instruction. Consult your healthcare provider if you have questions or concerns before making changes to your lifestyle.